


The Very Short Reign of Katlin Pierce

by January_in_June



Series: HRM Katlin Pierce [1]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2015-02-02
Packaged: 2018-03-10 06:49:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3280769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/January_in_June/pseuds/January_in_June
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What would you do if they offered you the world?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Queen of All Creation

Katlin fidgeted, practically glowing with pride. Out of all the ensigns, Commander Riker picked her – HER! – as his aide on this mission. Katlin grinned. Molly was probably back on the Enterprise, sucking lemons and sticking pins into a doll.

Katlin peered between the the crowd at Riker, rocking back and forth on her toes. He was handsome, alright, but you didn't move up in the world making passes at the boss. Nope. She banged the briefcase against her knees. You moved up by hard work. Studying the case files. Paying attention in briefings. And no de-briefings…ha!

Despite her pride, Katlin was aware that her role in this was little more than "briefcase holder." They were on an away mission to a planet called Lohrammain, which was in the final stages of joining the Federation. This mission was little more than a formality, where Riker would be presenting the papers for the Prince to sign. Katlin was tucked away in a crowd of dignitaries, waiting for her one big role. Walk forward, open the briefcase. She'd practiced in front of the mirror.

The room was noisy. It was more like a big party than a diplomatic mission. The Prince sat at a long table, but behind him people milled around sipping drinks and eating finger food, and beyond the "honored" guests there was an open gallery full of celebrating peasants, waving pennants and shouting.

The Prince looked honestly bored. He was half-way through a stack of papers to sign, and he had to keep re-shouldering his ceremonial furs. He was a little old for a "prince," Katlin thought. His goatee and hair were flecked with gray, but then again his stern face was still youthful. Maybe the stress of the job grayed him early.

The Prince looked up from the last of his papers. Riker turned back towards the smattering of Starfleet dignitaries and gestured at Katlin. Chest puffed up, with a thousand watt grin, Katlin shouldered her way forward, holding the briefcase in front of her.

The Prince glanced at her, did a double take and dropped his pen. His mouth opened slightly. Katlin hesitated, her grin suddenly frozen on her face.

Someone in the crowd gasped and pointed. Conversations died. The room was suddenly, eerily quiet, except for the sound of a dropped wine glass.

The Prince stood, his wooden chair rasping against the marble. He practically jumped the table in his haste to get at Katlin.

Frightened, Katlin took a few steps back, and Riker stepped forward to intercept the prince. "Just what –" Riker started to say, putting a hand between him and Katlin.

"Get her out of here," the Prince hissed, grabbing Katlin's arm. He lifted his cloak as if to hide her from the room. "Get her out of here – now!" He shoved the two of them into the next room, and turned to slam and then barricade the door.

They were in a chapel, with soft afternoon light filtering down through stained glass. There were rows of seats facing a simple, bare altar, and candles flickered in the draft.

"Is this a joke?" The Prince demanded. "Did you - did you clone her? Surgically alter her?"

"What are you talking about?" Riker asked, incredulous. "What's going on?"

"What's going on?" The Prince was gaping at the two of them. "Look!" He gestured behind them.

Riker and Katlin turned as one. The back wall of the chapel was a large mural, a portrait of Katlin. It was unmistakably her – the wavy blonde hair, the light gray eyes, even the small beauty-mark next to her nose. The portrait was smiling benevolently, a jeweled crown resting gently across her brow.

Katlin gasped, slapping her hand across her mouth.

"How…?" Riker asked, taking a step back, to better see the entire painting.

"Not how. Who." The Prince sighed, blowing out his cheeks. "That's Schereza, Queen of All Creation, who was prophesied to return and usher in a thousand years of peace and prosperity."

"Holy shit," Katlin said, between her fingers.


	2. They've All Seen

The Prince had taken a seat unceremoniously in one of the pews, and buried his face in his hands. "They've all seen, they've all seen," he muttered.

Already there was a pounding at the chapel door. "Your highness!"

"A moment!" he roared, and looked back at Katlin. He shook his head in despair and buried his face again.

"Listen," Riker said, "I'll have the Enterprise beam us up from here and –"

"NO!" The Prince stood, reaching out to Katlin as if to keep her. "You don't understand, this could topple my kingdom. Too many people have seen her. They will riot. They will never stop looking for her. You don't understand, my people are superstitious beyond reason. They will not rest until she blesses the city."

"Absolutely out of the question," Riker was already reaching for Katlin, to pull her into a joint transporter beam. "This is one of the biggest affronts to the prime directive I have ever-"

"Prime directive? I know your prime directive, and it certainly doesn't let you come in here with her – HER! – and destroy everything I have –" The Prince paused. "Do you hear that?"

They listened. There was a quiet, unmistakable roar of a crowd growing somewhere outside the palace. "They will bring tear this place to the ground if they think we are keeping Schereza from them."

"We're leaving," Riker tapped his communicator.

The Prince caught Katlin's eyes. He took a shuddering breath. "Damn you to hell, did you have to be so beautiful?"

"Wait," Katlin said, struggling out of Riker's grip. "What if I just went out there and said, 'Yes, it's me, a thousand years of happiness!"

"We won't allow it," Riker snapped. The roar of the approach mob was getting louder.

"They will kill me for this," the Prince said. Riker hesitated. "The only way to prevent a riot is exactly as she says. We'll take her out on a balcony, she can blow a few kisses, and then you'll be on your way."

A muscle in Riker's cheek was twitching.

"Please," Katlin said. "I'll do it. I want to do it."

Riker shook his head. "I don't like this."

"You don't have a choice." The Prince unbarred the doors and conferred hurriedly with his guards.

The Prince refused to let Katlin leave in anything less than traditional ceremonial dress. Before Katlin realized what was happening, a half-dozen handmaidens were tying an enormous white ballgown around her, and lacing the neck of the dress up to her chin to hide her Starfleet uniform. On top of the gown they tied layers of sheer golden lace, while another handmaiden rapidly brushed her hair and styled it into flowing curls. They shoved rings on her fingers and hung her neck with ropes of pearls and gemstones. It was all topped off with a giant golden headdress and Katlin felt herself staggering a bit under the weight.

The Prince nodded. "It will have to do," he said, and took her hand. Katlin looked back at Riker for support but he just nodded curtly, jaw clenched tight. The guards threw open the door to the chapel and the room exploded into cheers.

The guards held their spears lengthwise to keep the press of the people back. They were all screaming, roaring, cheering, weeping, and Katlin did her best to smile and nod benevolently without letting her headdress slide. Hands shot out of the crowd from all sides, desperate to touch her. The Prince kept her tightly against his side, leading her down the hall, up a grand flight of marble stairs and on to the open air balcony.

Katlin blinked in the sunlight as the crowd roared even louder than before. When her eyes adjusted to the light, she gasped at the crowd that lay below her – it seemed to stretch on for miles, in every direction. She raised her hand slightly to shield her eyes from the sun, and the crowd screamed in delight. Katlin smiled and waved slightly. The crowd roared in response. Emboldened, she blew a kiss and she swore she saw everyone for miles stagger in rapturous joy. She raised both hands in what she hoped was a blessing and basked in the thunderous cheers.

Molly Nelson, eat your heart out, Katlin thought, and grinned.


End file.
